Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) of Everett are really…well, mad today. Why? Because last Friday night tragedy struck when a drunk driver drove the wrong way up a freeway on-ramp and killed two young people. If that’s not enough to light a fire under MADD’s collective bodices, the fact that the driver has walked free has started a blaze that might be able to be seen from space.
They’re wondering why the driver is out able to buy lattes and catch up on her DVR while two young people lay in the morgue. The Everett Police and the Everett Prosecutor’s office assure the public they have an explanation.
“This sounds like an extraordinary circumstance,” MADD’s McDonald said. “These are very serious charges, and we would be disappointed if the system was not looking out for the security of the public.”
Wrong Way Head-on DUI Accident
Investigators told the Everett Herald at least one passerby, a driver who wasn’t involved in the crash, witnessed what happened and was able to help detectives deconstruct the course of events.
Detectives investigating the incident believe the suspect was driving her SUV northbound on Broadway near the Evergreen Cemetery around 10 pm Friday. The area is the site of a tremendously large project where new ramps were added and streets were rerouted. The construction is now done and the paths are clearly marked.
Detectives suspect that the drunken woman missed a right turn onto an overpass that leads northbound traffic to the continuation of Broadway past 41st Street. Instead, the driver allegedly went straight, entering the southbound lanes against traffic and crashed head-on with Blair’s car under the 41st Street overpass.
The suspected drunken driver a Bothell woman, 28, wasn’t hurt. Her passenger, an Everett woman, 31, was treated at a local hospital.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as the car’s driver, Sheena Blair, 24, of Tacoma, and passenger Martin Ramirez, 19, also of Tacoma.
The surviving passengers of the car were rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. They are men, both 18. One man is from Lakewood, Pierce County; police weren’t certain where the other man lives. Goetz said both men were in listed Monday in serious condition.
DUI Suspect Walks Free
Detectives arrested the woman at the scene for investigation of vehicular homicide, drunken driving and vehicular assault. She was not jailed because once a suspect is put behind bars a clock starts ticking for prosecutors to move the case toward trial, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
Joan Cavagnaro, Snohomish County’s chief criminal deputy prosecutor, said it’s not unusual for investigators to delay jailing a suspect.
While Cavagnaro said she could not comment on Friday’s case, she said there’s often complex evidence in vehicular homicide cases that can take time to process.
Prosecutors are limited by time once a suspect is jailed, she said. Defendants and suspects have rights that must be balanced against public safety concerns.
Because the woman was freed without being booked into jail, no bail was set and her activities are not restricted. Goetz said the woman is not considered a flight risk.
“With a couple of deaths involved, that’s an insult to the victims,” said Carl McDonald, a spokesman for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “Maybe the system is not taking the best care to protect the public.”
Sgt Goetz explained, “Building the case correctly is the primary concern, and that means having the evidence ready for prosecutors, even if that means the suspect for a time walks free.”
“We understand that the public could be a little surprised that we didn’t book her,” he said. “But it is the best thing for the case, and the prosecution of the case, and to do justice for the victims.”
Victims of Both a DUI Driver and an Overburdened System
Blood was drawn from the suspect the night of the wreck and the sample was sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab right away for testing.
It was the investigator’s concern that the results from the overloaded crime lab might in some way be delayed was a major factor in the decision not to place the suspect jail, Goetz said. All she had to do was enact her constitutional right to a speedy trial and the case may have fallen apart because the evidence might not have been available by the time of the trial.
This is a huge concern for State crime lab officials, whom have been open about budgetary staffing problems that increase their struggle to keep pace with demand for forensic tests in criminal cases.
Other police departments also say they don’t always immediately book suspects in vehicular homicide cases. Investigation is critical and often takes time, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.
“There’s a lot of time and effort that goes into a crash investigation like this,” she said.
Investigators don’t merely finished when the evidence is collected and the car’s wreckage are towed from the road.
“That’s just the beginning,” Hover said.
Cavagnaro, the prosecutor, said each case needs to be examined individually to decide when it is best to place the suspect behind bars.
“The investigator is in the best place to make a decision to determine if there’s enough evidence to proceed at the get-go, or if they need additional time to pull together sufficient evidence,” she said.
Frustration Mounts
Frustration over these situations felt by MADD is also felt by many involved including the families of the victims. Not only for those who were killed but also those who are injured.
The drunk driver in this case is facing a lifetime of struggle for her actions. She may not get out of prison until she’s 40 or perhaps later. This is a large price to pay for a fun night of drinking, but a small price to pay for two lost lives and three injured. It sounds as if she is going to do the noble thing and face her charges regardless of the delay in arrest.
If you or a loved one are a victim of a DUI injury accident or a wrongful death due to DUI, it is important that you find experienced legal representation. Call Phillips Webster for a consultation into your legal rights.
